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Carroll and Bowers Alumni basketball game raises over 40,000 dollars for charity

Posted on 22 July 2017 at 6:53pm

COLUMBIA - Saturday former Mizzou Football and basketball raised over $40,000 for charity and left it all on the court of a good cause. The Carroll and Bowers’ Alumni basketball game will bring back some of Mizzou’s well-known athletes.

The proceeds from the game will go towards the Boys and Girls Club of Columbia, Granny’s House, and the Carroll Family Foundation.

Director of Granny's House Pam Ingram said the proceeds will tremendously help.

"For us to get this kind of exposure and for people to know the kids who come everyday mean the world to us," Ingram said. "Kids from refugee families take up 80 percent of our enrollment and they are from Central Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. For these kids Ganny's house keeps its doors open because for them this place is a second home."

Ingrm said Granny's House is honored to be selected for the Alumni game.

"When Laurence Bowers first told me about this,"Ingram said. "I couldn't believe we were chosen and kept pinching myself. We think it's a great honor. We are very grateful to Laurence and DeMarre and the whole Mizzou nation for coming out to support this."

Tickets were $5 dollars. The doors open at 11:30 a.m. followed by an autograph signing from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The game started at 1p.m.

Kony Ealy, Michael Egnew, Brad Ekwerekwu, Will Franklin, Jerrell Jackson, William Moore, Martin Rucker, Tommy Saunders, Tony Temple and Sean Weatherspoon are all former Mizzou football players played in the game.

"I'm never fulfilled if I don't help someone else get to the leveler above the level I am," Bower said. "That's just how I am. Just knowing that we made a difference today makes me feel great."

Jerrell Jackson said he's happy to be able to give back to the community.

"It means a lot to me because you know our kids are our future," Jackson said. "I wished someone invested in me like that as I was growing up. Seeing my best friend and kids around me who grew up in the same situation where I grew up, I realize that they didn’t have the opportunity for people to reach out to them to become the best person they can be. So being able to do this holds a spot in my heart. I just feel like I’m helping the kids who probably grew up in a similar situation as me by giving them opportunities. It is so great that I’m able to be involved in this."

Jackson said even though he played football he was bring his A-game.

"I’m just looking forward to dunking on people," Jackson said. "I probably can’t shoot good. Most football players can’t but we can jump really high. So if anybody is in that lane, they are getting dunked on."

Jackson was a man of his word and dunked several times during the game.

"They set the teams pretty even," Jackson said. "But I don’t lose. So whichever team I’m on, the team is not losing. They call me Steph Curry. Kevin Durant. I’m excited about this weekend. It’s definitely for a great cause."